Metamorphosis
by Zuza chan
Summary: This is a story about your childhood- it's a tale of magic, and myth, of greatness and future potential. Yet while you sit here, reminisce, you think of it only as simple, joyous time spent learning of friendship and love. This is the story of how Merlin and Will met. Of the days when you've transformed, your life metamorphosed. Nothing has changed, and everything is different.


**For the purposes of this story, I've changed Merlin's and Will's history - they're meeting a lot later than in the story.**  
**But anyways, enjoy :)**

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Metamorphosis

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This is a story about your childhood- it's a tale of magic, and myth, of greatness and future potential. Yet while you lay in your bed in Camelot, after a day of _helping the kingdom, saving Arthur_, and think about the days spent in Ealdor, you think of them as simple, joyous time spent learning of friendship and love. A certain person comes to mind, and before you realise it, you spent the night reminiscing over your shared past, and sleep the day away.

You are seven, and your mother is telling you to stay away from the other kids. You don't understand why, but you listen, because people don't like you anyways, and other children tend to avoid you. It's easier that way, and you don't want your mother not to like you as well.

You are nine, and she's telling you to_ stop using magic, it's dangerous,_ but it's a part of you, like your voice or your legs, and to stop using it means to willingly cripple yourself. You can't imagine not speaking or walking ever again, but you listen to her, and force yourself to stop, just stop, because you're scared of losing her, and you're scared of her tears even more.

Then you're twelve, and you haven't been using magic for three years, and you haven't spoken a word for two and a half. You did what you're told, and your mother still looks at you with sad, broken eyes. You don't know what the problem is because you don't have any friends, and you stay at home, you _don't use magic, it's dangerous._ Everything she has asked, you've done, and life is alright, so far, or so you tell her every time you hear her crying at night.

And then you're thirteen, and out, chopping wood, when a boy named Will appears in front of you, and changes everything.

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"Hey, you're Merlin, right? My name's Will."

You nod, and start chopping again. It doesn't matter that the boy knows your name, because with it or without it, you will always stay the nameless, faceless outcast of the village.

"Do you need help?" Will asks, approaching slowly, and you shake your head feverently, 'don't approach' the gesture says. You haven't needed help for a long time now.

A hand taking your swinging wrist in a firm grip startles you senseless, and you struggle for a good few minutes against it before calming. You haven't had this much attention drawn towards you in months. It feels wrong, in a sense, as if you're betraying yourself with the act. Haven't you lived this way for a reason; haven't the lonely nights spent emptying your heart of emotion taught you anything? Don't strive towards what you can't have.

"You're not real talktive, are you?" the strange boy doesn't wait for a reply, he takes the axe from your hands - his touch a frightening mixture of strenght and tenderness- and starts hacking the wood into small pieces. "Besides,

why do you bother with the axe when you can use magic."

You stay still, frozen, praying to God that you've heard wrong. When the minutes steadily go by, and the boy continues chopping wood like nothing happened, you decide you've misheard something. You must have, for your sake, as well as the boy's.

When Will finally stops chopping, deeming the amount for enough, he picks some up and starts carrying it back. After a few long moments you take the rest, and start heading home. You're surprised when you find the boy in front of your door.

"I put the wood at the back of the house." he says cheerily, and starts walking away. You start fidgeting for a reason you don't understand and before you realise it, before you can start panicking you shout out, with your hoarse, unused voice. "Thank you!"

The boy turns and grins, and this time you can't convince yourself that you've misheard, when he says back: "You're welcome! See you around, my magical friend."

You stay standing a long time after the boy is gone, trying to quell the onslaught of feelings the strange encounter brought about.

_What have you gotten yourself into?_

Despite everything, when you enter the house, you can't help the grin on your face.

_What have you gotten yourself into?_

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This is a story about your childhood- it's a tale of magic, and myth, of greatness and future potential. It's an adventure filled with change and glee, and fate. The dreams it gives rise to are as sweet as the strawberries you remember eating back then. When you wake from them, a smile is gracing your face, and Gaius is calling you to join him for breakfast. You happily comply.

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**AN: I actually really love Hunith, and think she would never (consciously or unconsciously) hurt Merlin like this. In my opinion she is far too smart and cunning to be this dense, but again, for the purposes of this story, I've changed that a little.**

**People, this is the first time I've written something in second person narrative, and I don't really know if it's good (if it's too much), so please tell me if I should continue like this the whole story, of switch between third and second person.**

**That's all I have to say. I hope you've enjoyed it, and I'll hopefully update this soon. Am not really sure how to continue it (how long it will be, about the progress and end), but I'll think of something when I see your reaction :D**


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